# US 2014/0192958 A1 · Dynamic Dose Reduction in X-Ray Inspection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192958 A1 - Document ID: US20140192958A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/146,168 - Filed: 2014-01-02 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04 - Assignees: American Science and Engineering, Inc. - Applicants: American Science and Engineering, Inc. - Inventors: Dan-Cristian Dinca; Martin Rommel; Seth Van Liew; Aleksandr Saverskiy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192958A1 ## CPC - G01N 23/04: and forming images of the material - G01V 5/22: Active interrogation, i.e. by irradiating objects or goods using external radiation sources, e.g. using gamma rays or cosmic rays - H01J 35/02: Details - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract Methods and an x-ray system for dynamically regulating x-ray dose. An x-ray beam is generated and collimated at a source collimator and detected after the x-ray beam traverses an inspected object. A filter may be dynamically interposed by translation of the filter between a focal spot of the source and the source collimator in such a manner as to maintain the portion of the x-ray beam that traverses the inspected object below a specified limit. Alternatively, an aperture of the source collimator may be varied in size or position relative to the focal spot. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for dynamically regulating x-ray dose, the method comprising: a. generating an x-ray beam by impinging an electron beam upon an x-ray production target at a focal spot; b. collimating the x-ray beam at a source collimator; c. detecting a portion of the x-ray beam that traverses an inspected object; and d. dynamically interposing a filter by translation of the filter between the focal spot and the source collimator in such a manner as to maintain the portion of the x-ray beam that traverses the inspected object below a specified limit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the filter is a whole-beam filter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the filter preferentially absorbs lower-energy x-rays. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein absorption by the filter is a function of filter position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the filter is a wedge filter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the absorption by the filter varies in a stepped manner with respect to filter position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the filter is a partial beam filter. ### Claim 8 A method for dynamically regulating x-ray dose, the method comprising: a. generating an x-ray beam by impinging an electron beam upon an x-ray production target at a focal spot; b. collimating the x-ray beam at a source collimator; c. detecting a portion of the x-ray beam that traverses an inspected object; and d. varying a parameter of an aperture of the source collimator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the step of varying includes changing an aperture size of the source collimator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the step of varying includes changing a relative position of the focal spot and the source collimator. ### Claim 11 A method for dynamically regulating x-ray dose, the method comprising: a. generating an x-ray beam by impinging an electron beam upon an x-ray production target at a focal spot; b. collimating the x-ray beam at a source collimator; and c. varying a dimension characterizing the focal spot in such a manner as to maintain the portion of the x-ray beam that traverses the inspected object below a specified limit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein varying a dimension characterizing the focal spot includes defocusing the focal spot. ### Claim 13 A method for dynamically regulating x-ray dose, the method comprising: a. generating an x-ray beam by impinging pulses of an electron beam of at least two distinct energies upon an x-ray production target at a focal spot; and b. varying the ratio of pulses of different energies of the generated x-ray beam in response to radiation detected upon interaction of the x-ray beam with an inspected object. ### Claim 14 An x-ray system for generating an x-ray beam of dynamically regulated dose, the x-ray system comprising: a. an electron accelerating structure for accelerating a beam of electrons for formation of a focal spot on an x-ray producing target and for generating an x-ray beam; b. a source collimator for collimating the x-ray beam; c. a detector for receiving a portion of the x-ray beam that traverses an inspected object and for generating a detector signal; d. a filter dynamically interposable by translation between the focal spot and the source collimator; and e. a processor adapted to dynamically interpose the filter between the focal spot and the source collimator on a basis of the detector signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An x-ray system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the dynamically interposable filter is a whole beam filter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) An x-ray system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the dynamically interposable filter is a partial beam filter.